Photos

Description:Brandy Rayana Norwood (born February 11, 1979), known professionally as Brandy, is an American R&B and pop recording artist, songwriter, producer, model, actress, and dancer.Born into a musical family in McComb, Mississippi and raised in Carson, California, Norwood first appeared in a supporting role on the short-lived ABC sitcom Thea in 1993. Her engagement led to her own star vehicle, successful UPN sitcom Moesha in 1996, and resulted in roles in the 1998 horror sequel I Still Know What You Did Last Summer, and the TV films Rodgers and Hammerstein's Cinderella (1997) and Double Platinum (1999), two of television's best-ratBrandy Rayana Norwood (born February 11, 1979), known professionally as Brandy, is an American R&B and pop recording artist, songwriter, producer, model, actress, and dancer.Born into a musical family in McComb, Mississippi and raised in Carson, California, Norwood first appeared in a supporting role on the short-lived ABC sitcom Thea in 1993. Her engagement led to her own star vehicle, successful UPN sitcom Moesha in 1996, and resulted in roles in the 1998 horror sequel I Still Know What You Did Last Summer, and the TV films Rodgers and Hammerstein's Cinderella (1997) and Double Platinum (1999), two of television's best-rated special programs.

Originally signed to Atlantic Records, Norwood's self-tited debut album, a collection of street-oriented R&B with a hip-hop edge, was released in September 1994 stateside, and sold over six million copies worldwide. It produced the three top ten singles "I Wanna Be Down," "Baby" and "Brokenhearted", of which two reached the top of the Hot R&B/Hip-Hop Songs chart and were certified gold and platinum, respectively. The following year, Norwood contributed songs to the soundtracks of the films Batman Forever (1995) and Waiting to Exhale (1995), with the single "Sittin' Up in My Room" becoming another top ten success. In 1996, she collaborated with Tamia, Chaka Khan and Gladys Knight on the single "Missing You", released from the Set It Off soundtrack.

Norwood's second album Never Say Never was released in 1998 and achieved international chart success, establishing her as one of the most successful of the new breed of R&B female vocalists to emerge during the mid-to late 1990s. It included the number-one singles "The Boy Is Mine", a duet with Monica, and "Have You Ever?". The album was certified five times platinum by the Recording Industry Association of America (RIAA), and sold more than 16 million copies worldwide, becoming Norwood's best-selling album to date.

Her third studio album Full Moon was released in 2002 and was certified platinum by the RIAA. It spawned the top ten hit "What About Us?", alongside two other singles. Norwood's fourth studio album Afrodisiac was released in 2004 and was certified gold. The album failed to achieve success on international music markets. Following another hiatus and a label shift to Epic Records, her fifth studio album Human was released in December 2008. Her lowest-selling effort to date, the album spawned two singles "Right Here (Departed)" and "Long Distance", of which both reached the top of the Billboard Hot Dance Club Play chart.

Two Eleven is the sixth studio album by American recording artist Brandy. Scheduled for a US release on October 2, 2012, the album will serve as Norwood's debut release with RCA Records, following her departure from Epic after the release of her previous album Human (2008). The album title alludes to Norwood's birthday on February 11 and the day that her idol, entertainer Whitney Houston, died.
The album will reportedly feature production by Mr. Bangladesh, Rico Love, Jim Jonsin, Danja, Timbaland, Noah "40" Shebib, and songwriting from singer-songwriters Chris Brown, Frank Ocean, Sean Garrett, and Drake. The first single, "Put It Down", which features Chris Brown, was released on May 8, 2012.

Norwood has sold over 8.62 million albums in the United States, and more than 30 million records worldwide. Additionally, she has won over 100 awards as a recording artist. In 1999, Billboard ranked Norwood among the top twenty of the Top Pop Artists of the 1990s.... (more)(less)